Did You See That? (April 29-May 5)
May 7, 2013
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
The resignation of one of Michigan's winningest boys basketball coaches made arguably the biggest headlines during a week that also saw sad news about two more coaches who will be remembered fondly in their respective communities.
But before we get to those, here's also a look at the story of another coach making his way back from a challenging situation:
Good Read of the Week
DeWitt welcomed back by his teams: Last Monday's Holland Calvary vs. Holland Freedom Christian baseball doubleheader at Fifth Third Ballpark was more than just a chance to play some big games on a bigger-than-usual stage. The teams also welcomed coach Lanny DeWitt, who coaches basketball at Calvary and baseball and Freedom Christian and is recovering from a stroke suffered March 20. (Holland Sentinel)
Boys Basketball/Volleyball
Keener leaves for Arizona: Detroit Country Day boys basketball coach Kurt Keener – whose 678 victories are second in MHSAA history only to legendary River Rouge coach Lofton Greene – announced he was leaving Country Day after 35 years Friday to move to Arizona, where he will coach a high school team in Scottsdale. Keener led Country Day this winter to its ninth MHSAA boys hoops title. (Oakland Press)
Mona Shores hires veteran leaders: Muskegon Mona Shores announced Wednesday that it hired former Muskegon Community College athletic director and men’s basketball coach Gene Gifford to take over its boys hoops program, and former Fruitport coach Dan Potts to take over the volleyball program. Potts led Fruitport to the 2005 MHSAA Class B championship. (Muskegon Chronicle)
Girls Basketball
Detroit mourns Knott: The Detroit Public School League and its basketball community are mourning the death of recently-retired Detroit Cody girls hoops coach Charles Knott, who was reportedly shot and killed Tuesday. Knott – hired at Cody in 1988 – was a graduate of Detroit Southeastern and also coached softball during his tenure. (Detroit News)
Softball
D2 powers split: Division 2 No. 4 Coloma and honorable mention Portland split a doubleheader Wednesday. Portland won the first 1-0 before Coloma handed the Raiders their first loss this season, 2-1. (Ionia Sentinel-Standard)
Stevenson surges: Sterling Heights Stevenson moved up to No. 1 in Division 1 this week in part because of a split Saturday against previously top-ranked and now No. 5-Mattawan. (Kalamazoo Gazette)
Boys Golf
Lansing Catholic dominates: The Cougars, keyed by senior Jacob Johnson and junior Brent Marshall, won Friday’s Capital Area Activities Conference Open by nine strokes over East Lansing. The event matches the teams from all four divisions of the CAAC, which currently includes four top 10-ranked teams including Division 2 No. 1 Haslett and Lansing Catholic – which is No. 1 in Division 3. (Lansing State Journal)
Lakeview cards record: Battle Creek Lakeview shot a 290 during the Southwestern Michigan Athletic Association Championships last week at Island Hills Golf Club in Centreville, breaking the previous team record of 295 shot in 2010. Lakeview is ranked No. 5 in Division 1. (Battle Creek Enquirer)
Girls Track and Field
Bark River-Harris reigns in Central U.P.: The Broncos – who finished ninth at last season’s MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 3 Final – clinched their second Central Upper Peninsula Conference title in three seasons Tuesday by edging Rapid River by nine points and Eben Junction Superior Central by 43. Superior Central was runner-up at that MHSAA Division 3 Final last spring. (Escanaba Daily Press)
Boys Track and Field
Algonac tops at Muskrat Classic: Algonac not only won the Division 2 portion of its annual invitational, but scored 100 points to top all of the Division 1 schools as well. (Port Huron Times-Herald)
Baseball
Hessbrook throws third no-hitter: Ithaca’s Logan Hessbrook threw not only his third no-hitter of the season Thursday, but his second straight as the Yellowjackets downed St. Charles 15-0 and then 4-0 in a doubleheader. He had seven strikeouts in seven innings. (Saginaw News)
DCC gains big split: Unranked Detroit Catholic Central earned a 9-8 win over No. 3 Birmingham Brother Rice on Thursday before falling 4-1 in the second game. (Mlive Detroit)
Football
Williams heads to Ypsilanti: Lamanzer Williams – who played at the University of Minnesota and also has served as football coach at Kalamazoo Central and Inkster – has resigned as Holland High football coach after one season to become athletic director at the new Ypsilanti Community High School. (AnnArbor.com)
Grand Rapids mourns Julian: Former Grand Rapids West Catholic and Grand Rapids Community College football coach Fred Julian died Saturday after a battle against prostate cancer. The Detroit Pershing grad taught and coached at West Catholic for 16 seasons and also played professionally for the old American Football League’s New York Titans. (Grand Rapids Press)
Wrestling
Boyer nears end at Pennfield: Larry Boyer, who led Battle Creek Pennfield's wrestling team to a 1992 MHSAA title, will retire from the school after this spring and 36 years including the last 13 as athletic director. He also has coached football and track and field. (Battle Creek Enquirer)
Today in the MHSAA: 10/11/18
October 11, 2018
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Each weekday of the school year, we break down the top headlines courtesy of Michigan’s sports media.
1. Girls Golf: Top-ranked North Muskegon claimed a Regional title in Lower Peninsula Division 4, finishing 11 strokes better than runner-up and No. 5 Kalamazoo Hackett – Local Sports Journal
2. Boys Soccer: Division 1 No. 6 Detroit Catholic Central won its third straight Catholic League A-B title with a 3-0 win over Division 2 No. 9 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood – Observer & Eccentric
3. Girls Golf: Petoskey claimed its first LPD2 Regional championship, edging Traverse City Central by seven strokes – Petoskey News-Review
4. Boys Soccer: Macomb L’Anse Creuse North downed New Baltimore Anchor Bay 2-0 to clinch the Macomb Area Conference White title, its first league championship since 2005 – Macomb Daily
5. Girls Golf: No. 3 Muskegon Reeths-Puffer won its second straight LPD2 Regional title, this time led by freshman medalist Karlie VanDuinen – Local Sports Journal
6. Boys Soccer: Division 3 No. 10 Gladwin clinched its fourth straight Northern Michigan Soccer League championship with a 3-2 shootout win over Ogemaw Heights – MI Sports Now
7. Boys Soccer: Utica Eisenhower clinched its first league title since 2012 with a 2-0 win over Utica in the Macomb Area Conference Red – Macomb Daily
8. Boys Soccer: White Lake Lakeland downed Walled Lake Central to add a Lakes Valley Conference tournament title to its regular-season championship – Oakland Press
9. Boys Soccer: Brownstown Woodhaven downed Melvindale 2-0 to claim the Downriver League championship – Southgate News-Herald
10. Boys Soccer: Division 1 No. 9 Brighton downed Dearborn Fordson 4-0 to win the Kensington Lakes Activities Association tournament championship – Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Also of note …
Officiating: The Lansing State Journal addressed the growing need for more high school officials, spending time with an officiating class at Eaton Rapids that’s helping fill the ranks – Lansing State Journal
Officiating: Recent Sand Creek graduate Bryant Moore is among those stepping in to help with the officials shortage in southeast Michigan – Adrian Daily Telegram
Cross Country: The Rock Mid-Peninsula girls (UPD3 No. 3) and Rapid River boys claimed Skyline Central Conference championships – Escanaba Daily Press
Boys Soccer: Caledonia tied Rockford 1-1 to earn a share of the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red championship – FOX 17
Boys Soccer: Grand Haven claimed the other share of the O-K Red with a 4-0 win over Hudsonville – Grand Haven Tribune
Cross Country: The Mancelona boys and Indian River Inland Lakes girls won Ski Valley Conference championships – Athletic.net
Volleyball: From Wednesday, Mount Pleasant locked up a share of the Saginaw Valley League North title with a sweep of Saginaw High – Mount Pleasant Morning Sun
Boys Soccer: From Wednesday, Division 1 No. 3 Saline finished a perfect run through the Southeastern Conference Red – Saline Post